Parenting

In the field I work in I have seen my share of very good and very bad parents. I am not a parent myself so I cannot say I have experienced the stress and joys of being a parent but, I have observed enough families and children to make some observations. It is not important what the parent does when they are with their children - all that matters is that they are there with them sharing the same space. Sometimes it helps for the parent to allow the child to pick the activity they are going to participate in -sometimes you just go with the flow. When I talk to adolescents they tell me the most important thing they want from their parents is to listen to them. To not always have the answers but to just allow them to express themselves and make their own choices. I have found that families that work through problems together are stronger and feel more connected as a family unit. There are so many things now adays that pull familes apart from jobs to health problems that any time spent with each other should be special. I am not saying you have to do anything special - what I'm saying is to make the most of the time you have. Parents need to know what their limitations are and be willing to ask for help when they need it. Kids need to try and somtimes succeed and sometimes fail. That is how they learn. If you think back to your childhood - you learned more from your mistakes then from your successes. Do not protect your children from the consequences of their actions. It is better they learn as children then as adults the consequences of their actions. My challenge for you today is to take the time to tell the ones that you love that they are special and you value what they bring to your relationship. Remember time is precious.